Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-01
ROASTED INDIANS.
CREMATION As pRAcTiCEo BY THE
ThliNkEIS OF ALASKA.

Providing the spirit with Sqnar. Meal.
A Corpse Awaiting Buria;-Weird Scene
at the fan-rsl-H"w the Cremation Is
Conducted.
Among those Indians known as the
Thiinkets, who inhabit the coast and con-
tiguous islanfs of southeastern Alaska,
The practice of cremation is universal. eN-
cept in the ease of shanans or medicine
men, whose spirits after death inhabit a
higher world apart from the common
herd. and slaves who are considered
scarcely worthy of this distinction.
The Thinker believes that shortly be
fore death the spirit Of some loved friend
gone before viii appear 10 him. saying:
My dear brother or good friend. yOu can
last hut few suns longer, and it is best
81. for lite is but hard: 81 be ready, for |
VIII soon come 10 lead your spirit 10
land where all is happiness -
With the last breath tidings go ont to
the clan, who assemble with blackcned
faces to mourn the dead, and in former
wears the nearer relatives cut off the hair.
The corpse is now dressed in the most
valued garments, the face decorated in
red and black. and placed in sitting po-
sition, with back TO the wall, opposite the
entrance. All the property uf the de-
ceased is now brslSht and piled on either
hand-the Thlinket counts his wealth in
kept stored away in camphor
wood or cedar chests. Masks. rattles,
r"'es, guns, hunting and fishing imple-
ments and dancing paraphernalia are
placed directly around; the head is sur
Fl
mask in totemic design. brilliant in its in
laying Of holiotis shell and topped by a
semi-transparent forest of sea lion whisk-
FRS, while over the body il thrown a
highly ornamental blanket. woven from
the finer fleece Of the mountain goat AMI
worked in black, white, yellow and blue
rom old pattern boards that have been /
handed down through generations until !
he designs have become conventional.
Tor three days the dead remains silent |
'pectator If household affairs, which have
/" 20 on much as usual, as number of |
antilles live under the same roof. Wis |
tors come and 90, food is prepared nj the |
'nmmon central fire, and children toddle |
bout. tumbling over the sleeping dogs:
-: a general air of quiet prevails until
,ightfail, when the tribe assemble with
StNh>. ana 10
heir measured accompaniment keep time
n monotonous chant, eulogizing and la
ncnting the dead
The scene j. weird to degree. the many
olored blankets. the blackened faces. the
walls hung with arms and fishing nipple
aents, the curiously carved and c6lcred
ouse posts; while festoons Of dried fish
nd meat depend from the roof. and all
rfrhf l..s
rackling fire Of cedar logs. over which at
intervals oil is dashed To redouble the
feet.
For three nights this scene is repeated,
nj ON the third day the wealth of the de-
cascd is distributed among the relatives,
ach one receiving u certain portion. Us
ldsed by popular consent.
The funeral pyre is now erected directly
! rear OF the house or On the outskirts OF
ne village, in proximity Ia the shore
.ags o: the fragrant yellow cedar are how
rought and laid upon each other. forming
hollow parallelogram seven feet long by
iree wide. At height of from two TO
'ree feet flooring Of logs is laid, leaving
r spaces between them above which The ,
'alls are continued for another foot. Be
cath the flooring and around the sides
MUS. Will
um, are placed. IL
All being in readiness, on this. the
,ur;h, day, the class assemble. plank
removed from the side or end Of the
Duse, and through this opening the dead :
carried on a mat made from the inner
ark of the red cedar. for ii is strongly :.
'oted superstition among these people
lat should the body pass through the
Dorway. that later the death spirit would
turn TO claim more victims. As the
Ddy is carried ont an old woman takes
,me Goals and burning fragments from !
he fire and scatters them after it, to drive
way the spirit OF death and cleanse the
and sfterward throws out a
* TO accompany its master spirit to the ,
orld beyond.
The procession now makes its way
owly toward the place selected for Gre
alton, and when reached the body is
,posited on the raised flooring of the
IRE and a torch applied to the rcsinous l
'linters readily igniting the whole mass. /
he women in full dancing habiliments,
of blue black blanket faced
ith red cloth and ornamenfed with hum Z
eds of mother of pearl buttons, fancy Z
lored caps or hea,idresses of raven or
gle feathers. immense earrings and nuse =
,ndants. faces blackened and carrying
the right hand a long pole the end
'coratcd with sprigs ~ evergreen and
light s;reamers. form in half circle
,out the head of the pile Tie men,
iih dancing sticks and ratt.es, are
'ouped on one side. The nearer rela-
YES sit about promiscuously, meaning !.
Id wailing The older men lead the
Iant or dirge, which is joined in by all,
id to its slow notes the women keep I
me with the body swaying from side 10
lie and bowling il unison, reminding one !,
the famous sword dance Of TIE BeGou-
Oftertimcs the arms and personal he-
ngings of the deceased are thrown on 4
e fire, which, by means of long poles, =.
constantly stirred, and the chant con- \
nues until the body is reduced 10 ashes
I'd the logs consumed. The family col .
CT any remains of bones and the sup
,sed ashes, which are carefully deposited |,
small decorated boxes or trunks COW
ell with cedar mating. corded with
ruce roots, and finally placed in dead
'uses or family vaults directly in rear of | n
e houses. {.
Every one now returns TO the house. a
here grand feast is prepared. consist (
g of dried salmon dipped in seal oil. her
ng spawn. potatoes, roots. berries. edible
q weed. shell fish. seal meat and tallow
ON the fat Of the wild goat of tie q
ountain, Food and grease are placed in &
rived piatters and consigned 10 the o
imes, TO sustain the deceased spirit Oh
5 weary journey. With the coming Of q
ght the men assemble. seating them I
Ives around the fire. when the women in (
I'll dancing costume file i'll, forming in
'ntin,'ous rank around the walls, fncinG
10 audience of males. and repeat the $
vaying. bowing dance previously enacted ?
the cremation. keeping time to tine &
lant. This closes the funeral cere- b
onies, which have now lasted through
ur days. The dead may he honoreh n
gain in future years by period of dan E
ng and feasting, and the rebuilding Of a
sadhouse is always "A season Of ceremonial =
+. Emmons in San Fran $
SEQ Chronicle.